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Everything In Soccer Starts Right Here.Thu, 17 Aug 2017 14:00:41 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1More of the same from Arsenal?https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/more-of-the-same-from-arsenal/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/more-of-the-same-from-arsenal/#respondThu, 17 Aug 2017 13:30:07 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10125Arsenal: First Impressions Same ol’ Arsenal. That thought must have lingered long in the minds of every Gooner watching the season opener versus Leicester City last weekend. The familiar collapse at the first sign of […]

Arsenal: First Impressions

Same ol’ Arsenal. That thought must have lingered long in the minds of every Gooner watching the season opener versus Leicester City last weekend. The familiar collapse at the first sign of pressure, the uncanny ability to raise hopes to the highest peaks before smashing them cruelly against the hardest surface close by, the defensive mistakes that have become predictable, the painful looks on the face of Arsene Wenger. It was all there. Same ol’ Arsenal. The script from the last ‘x’ seasons looked to be repeating itself. Everyone knew the score. Until it changed.

The Gunners showed immense character to come back twice to beat a Leicester side who were not overawed by the Arsenal’s early strike. Leicester still have most of the pieces from the championship winning side of a couple seasons back (with the exception of the most important piece – N’golo Kante) so coming back to vanquish them shouldn’t be taken for granted. They battled gamely and even with little possession (30% possession), they kept their lines and held discipline for most of the game. They’ll feel like they did enough to deserve at least a point from the game however the fact is Craig Shakespeare needs to be better in his decision making if he wants to maximize Leicester’s potential. His decision to pull Shinji Okazaki was a game changer and his deployment of Kelechi Iheanacho was iffy.

If Arsenal mean to win the Premier League for the first time in over a decade, they must make their home field a fortress. The Emirates crowd over the years have become so used to disappointment that at the first sign of trouble, the tendency is to get very quiet or even worse to boo certain players. It looked to be headed that way close to halftime as the Foxes led 2-1, but thankfully Danny Welbeck scored a late equalizer to spare everyone an early start to ‘Grumble Season’. The rest of the game saw the crowd give the team their full backing. Arsenal MUST defend home field and the fans have a big role to play in ensuring that happens. No matter who walks out of the opposing dressing room, Arsenal must show them that The Emirates is a ground that will offer nothing to them.

Individually, the Petr Cech needs to do a better job of controlling his team, he is the most experienced member of the squad and he needs to be much better at directing his defense while also doing his primary job. He’s never been a yeller but for a mistake prone defense, it might be time to warm up the pipes. He’s still one of the best goalies in the division but as far as aging goes, he’s more Iker Casillas than Gigi Buffon. The defense had way too many moments of panic (*yes it was a makeshift defense but some of the errors were really elementary). For a side who had so much possession, they seemed scared the few times the Foxes had a proper go. It was like Foxes versus chickens. It took a while for Arsenal’s defense (defenders and midfielders) to grow from defensive chickens into aggressive hawks. The midfield fulcrum of Xhaka and El Neny were not as imposing as they had been days before versus Chelsea, and Xhaka especially made far too many mental errors (*he made up for those with two good assists). The attack was sharp when it needed to be, the main creative man Mesut Ozil had a very lethargic game until he was moved central when the team formation changed, he also must play better. Alexandre Lacazette was as advertised, fast and always moving. Danny Welbeck was what he is, a steady threat who works hard but struggles to finish, he is a good player but he won’t win Arsenal the league crown.

The actual team performance was entertaining if you like heart stopping activities. Arsenal didn’t really have any outstanding performers as I said above and as a team, this was not an outstanding showing. Overall, the unit did their work as one and that was the reason they got anything out of the game. That portends good things if you’re looking for that. In past years, Arsenal has had a tendency to be over reliant on a talisman. From Henry to Van Persie to Cesc, and now Ozil and/or Alexis in recent times. This was a team effort from 1 thru 11 and on average they were all about 6/10 which isn’t fantastic from an Arsenal footie purist’s perspective but it was enough to ensure 70% possession, 10:4 shots on target, 10:2 shots off target, 9:4 corner kicks in the Gunner’s favor. Arsenal dominated the stat sheet and the game but it was just those silly moments of lack of concentration, mindfulness and focus that bugged the side, it’s the same story of years before. They got away with it versus Leicester, they need to get their championship mindset locked on and focus tuned in before greater challenges come at them.

Up next, it’s Stoke City away. The boys would lay a serious marker down by putting the Potters down in impressive fashion. Arsene Wenger made great substitutes versus Leicester, he needs to have his lads ready from start to finish this time. All 3 points would be a great boost.

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/more-of-the-same-from-arsenal/feed/0Life After Neymarhttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/life-after-neymar/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/life-after-neymar/#respondSat, 05 Aug 2017 19:05:20 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10121The buyout clause for Neymar stood at 222 million Euros, a ridiculous amount of money by most clubs standards however PSG are a different type of club. With the financial might of Qatar behind them […]

The buyout clause for Neymar stood at 222 million Euros, a ridiculous amount of money by most clubs standards however PSG are a different type of club. With the financial might of Qatar behind them and the fresh experience of Neymar virtually single handedly tearing up their 4-0 advantage in the last champions league campaign, the Parisiens pounced with venom to secure the Brazilian superstar. Mammoth wages allied with the breaking the previous world record transfer fee meant their man was there to be had. For Paris, it’s a great time, they’ve managed to upstage one of the ‘elite’ of European football and sent a clearer message than ever before, Nouveau Riche is properly in and FFP is a silly joke.

Where does all this leave FC Barcelona? They’ve got a pocket full of Euros and they’re still one of the biggest brands in world soccer but how do they cope from a purely footballing perspective? They still have Leo Messi, the footballing god among men. He’s a singularly unique factor. They still have Luis Suarez, arguably the finest sharpshooter in world football. Last year, you could pick any one of the MSN trio as Barca’s best player for the season. They seemingly rotated starring roles all year but I’d argue that Neymar was third best in the cast. Messi is without question the best player in the world, he gives Barca everything Neymar ever could and much more then there’s Suarez who offers an aspect of forward play that Neymar simply doesn’t have in his repertoire. Still, when it counted in the Champions League, 4-0 down from the first leg in Paris, it was Neymar who stood up and shredded the Parisiens. Certainly, it helped having the other threats present but Neymar Jr was far and away FC Barcelona’s best player and it’s impossible not to wonder whether he wasn’t ready to take the next step as ringleader of the MSN band. It was never going to happen though and too ascend to the next level, he had to go and that leaves a creative void Barca must fill.

There’s an argument that the frontline really isn’t an area of worry for them.

A school of thought would argue that the Catalans should be more concerned about adequately replacing Andres Iniesta who has slowed down considerably. The midfield simply couldn’t hack it in that first leg in Paris and in the next round, Juventus stomped them all over the place with ease that should never happen with a trident that capable. Neymar and company simply couldn’t help Barca then and it wasn’t for lack of trying, they were bested by superior coaching from a disciplined and stifling Italian team however what really stood out was the lack of help from Barca’s midfield. In the final, the Italians tried to stifle BBC and did for large periods until Luka Modric started running the show and Real Madrid’s wingbacks took turns ripping Juve out of defensive shape. Barcelona didn’t have a midfield anywhere near as good as Real’s. The decision to let Thiago Alcantara leave continues to bite them in the hiney. For today though, we will focus on who they can directly replace Neymar with.

The cupboard within the club is a bit bare. Ernesto Valverde is a smart manager and he’s shown himself to be technically savvy especially in his time at Athletic Bilbao. If the manager’s past is anything to go by, Barcelona will need their wingers playing an active role in the grand scheme of things. Right now, they’ve got Arda Turan and the newly re-signed Gerard Deulofeu, those are good players not great players. Turan has never replicated his form from Atletico and he’s unlikely to do so. Deulofeu is a magnificent talent on his day but he’s still prone to too many off days and that simply won’t do at the Nou Camp for a starter. The Catalans need to reinvest a chunk of the 222 on a Neymar replacement from outside.

A few names have been linked with FCB over the summer.

Phil Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and lately Eden Hazard stand out. Barcelona has tested Liverpool for Coutinho but he isn’t a like for like replacement for Neymar and Liverpool isn’t interested in selling. He’s a great talent but he needs to be the main cog in a wheel and at Barcelona, he wouldn’t be that. Ousmane Dembele is an outrageous talent but he’s arguably slightly behind where Neymar was when the Brazilian joined Barca. The Frenchman may actually have a higher ceiling than Neymar, he’s a magician on the ball but he still needs to learn to channel his huge talent towards the collective and play less for self. That ought to come with age but Barcelona don’t have that time or luxury, they need a ready made replacement. Hazard would be a good buy but it’s highly unlikely Chelsea part with him, they (like PSG with Verratti) have no incentive to do that.

A few others Barca could look at include Draxler (revenge!), Reus, Alexis, Carrasco, Insigne, Keita Balde, Lemar, Brandt, Muniain, Nasri, and the craziest would be Asensio. Draxler is unlikely (see Verratti), ditto Alexis or Carrasco (see Coutinho). Insigne is a bit of a wild card, it’s not often Italians attackers take apart La Liga but the main reason is I think Barca need a starring man who would be willing to accept the B-role in their cast and Insigne isn’t a starring man. Brandt isn’t quite ready for the big lights. Muniain is much like Deulofeu, he’s not taken the next step up. Nasri is not consistent or disciplined enough. Reus is too injury prone and at 28, he’s too old.

That leaves us with Keita Balde, Thomas Lemar, and Marco Asensio.

Asensio has a rumored 300 million Pound release clause. Barca isn’t breaking the world record to buy him. Even if they wanted to pay up, the kid would be unlikely to risk ticking off his growing Real Madrid fan base so early in his career. This would be such a good move for him though, he really has everything it takes, strength, determination, and the skill plus that little selfish string (not too much of it). Real will keep him to replace Ronaldo so there’s no need dreaming more.

Lemar has been chased all summer long by Arsenal. He reportedly is a fan of their advances but Arsenal almost always have trouble with closing deals and it wouldn’t be difficult for Barca to swoop in and steal the Frenchman. He’s more of a #10 in style though and not quite your traditional Neymar-esque winger so like Coutinho, I’d be loathe buying him to replace Neymar.

Keita Balde is pretty much Catalan. He was born in Spain, he grew up in the Barcelona youth system. He knows the club and culture. However, He has rejected them before after getting sent on loan as punishment for pranks and he still has some discipline issues. Football wise, he is a bit too Dembele-esque to replace Neymar right off the bat, he still needs to polish up some of the finer aspects of the game.

Adequately replacing Neymar directly probably won’t happen this transfer window. The prospects to replace him are either not good enough, unattainable or just too raw. This means Barcelona have to tweak their system. Luckily for them, there’s a new manager in charge who’s pretty nifty at doing that. Pep was a tinkerman and it worked because he had the one man that was necessary to make magic happen. They still have Messi, it’s time to put all the chips on the world’s greatest player, give him some solid midfield help and let him go to work on teams. Remember, he had guys like Munir and Pedro looking like Ballon D’Or candidates playing with him, Messi and friends is always a good bet to be a threat. Now where can they find an Iniesta replacement? There’s an Italian in Paris who….ahhhh.

WILDCARD

There is one who could replace Neymar and I’m sure FC Barcelona have put out feelers for Kylian Mbappe but even he isn’t a direct replacement.

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/life-after-neymar/feed/0Preseason Sized Takeaways from the International Champions Cuphttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/preseason-sized-takeaways-from-the-international-champions-cup/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/preseason-sized-takeaways-from-the-international-champions-cup/#respondTue, 01 Aug 2017 20:27:50 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10106Making hasty judgments based on preseason play is a fools errand, which is exactly why I have been selected to make some hasty judgments based on preseason play. In all seriousness, it is hard to […]

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Making hasty judgments based on preseason play is a fools errand, which is exactly why I have been selected to make some hasty judgments based on preseason play. In all seriousness, it is hard to project too much after preseason matches for a number of reasons. Despite what the players may say, its impossible to replicate the intensity of a top flight match in the regular season; even against the other top clubs that took part in this Summer’s International Champions Cup. On top of that, managers use this time to experiment with younger players and different strategies. While we may not be able to draw a straight line from preseason performances to success in the table for the upcoming season, there are still unexpected performers, standouts, and causes for concern buried within these matches. Lets recap some of the big takeaways from ICC play!

El Clasico takes Miami

In maybe the most anticipated match in all of preseason soccer, Barcelona and Real Madrid took their talents to South Beach for the first El Clasico on American soil. Miami greeted them with all the heat and humidity it could muster. With Ronaldo taking leave to deal with his tax issues, fans were robbed of another Messi/Ronaldo clash, but still saw a match that started with high intensity. The vitriol of this rivalry carried both clubs through an intense first half, but things began to unravel for both of them as the Miami heat – or maybe the Miami nightlife – sapped their legs as the match wore on. The biggest standout from this showdown was none other than Neymar, playing tremendously despite the elephant in the room. Elephant probably is an understatement, as his rumored move to PSG is a Jumbo-jet sized distraction. Despite all the swirling rumors, he was the center of a Barca attack on a night when Suarez was ineffective and Messi somewhat disinterested despite his early goal. Barcelona took the win here, 3-2, but wont be able to enjoy it until this Neymar issue is put to bed.

Speaking of Paris…

Ah yes, rumored destination of the aforementioned Neymar. I wont delve into the validity of transfer rumors here, nor am I sitting on a treasure trove of unnamed sources deep within European soccer. If it happens, that’s great for PSG. But the team is still preparing for a season whether Neymar arrives or not. With a couple up and down performances you’d expect from the preseason, PSG still look like a club capable of winning Ligue 1 and pushing deep in Champions League. Fans were excited to see new arrival Dani Alves perform well, and the hope is despite his advancing age he can maintain his level of play all season for the club. The other player who caught my eye was Giovani Lo Celso. The 21 year old Argentinian Attacking Midfielder showed signs of progress towards the end of last season, and built on it with good vision, passing, and poise while playing among the best in the world. Whether time with the first team or a loan awaits him, PSG fans have reason to be excited about this youngster.

United’s Back!

I know I know, you’ve heard that before. Manchester United is widely expected to improve dramatically this season under Jose Mourinho, because that’s what Mourinho does wherever he goes. Romelu Lukaku is the big money addition and he looked every bit as advertised in the ICC, scoring in his very first match. He made a fool of City’s big money keeper Ederson, and then scored from an impossible angle at full speed. His presence will be necessary, but it was also apparent the club needed a holding midfielder to truly challenge for the title, as even in preseason, neither Michael Carrick or Marouane Fellaini looked up to the task. Despite an attraction to Spurs Eric Dier (Ha!), the signing of Mourinho buddy Nemanja Matic should help to fill that role. I was going to say that Jesse Lingard looked like a young player ready to make a leap until I realized he’s already 24 (!!!) so he’s basically the crypt keeper as prospects go. That might be a little harsh, but the reality is he’s no longer a young player with boundless potential. He should still improve, but that growth is capped somewhat now with his age.

Juve Reload

Juventus lost defensive stalwart Bonucci to rival Milan, and now an area of strength, which pushed them into the Champions League Final, becomes an area of concern. Fan concern was highlighted by issues with their back line in the preseason. Chiellini is still a world class player, but Barzagli is 36 and cant be counted on to play every match. Youngster Daniele Rugani has fans clamoring for more play time, with the prospect of Medhi Benatia being a first choice center back eliciting panic in the Juve faithful. If they can shore up their back line, then the outlook is good. Douglas Costa has looked every but the player Juve hoped he would be, and has explicitly said he plans to win every trophy possible with the club. A high bar to clear, but if Juve can retool their defense, their outlook will remain rosy.

Spurs Panic Button Watch

I will try to remain rational, but I’ve stated before that’s a difficult ask for any fan. The things that were supposed to be good have been good. Harry Kane has looked good. Christian Eriksen has looked good. I swoon every time Dele Alli touches the ball. But the concerns remain large and more prevalent than ever. The club sold Kyle Walker for a kings ransom and have yet to add any one to improve their squad, at all. Mauricio Pochettino has been very vocal about believing in the young players at Spurs to take on major roles, but Josh Onomah, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Kyle Walker-Peters have not instilled confidence in the preseason. At least Harry Winks looks capable of playing with the first XI. The match against Manchester City was expressly concerning for me. City bludgeoned Spurs 3-0, in a match-up that saw both squads play their first choice players for a good portion of the match. Its only preseason. Its only preseason. ITS ONLY PRESEASON. But that one hurt, and Spurs either needs to find what chairman Daniel Levy has termed “The Right Player”, or have quick internal improvement from their youngsters for fans to feel confident going into a crucial season.

City Is For Real

Manchester City was the club in the ICC that impressed me the most. Maybe it was because they dismantled my favorite club in their match-up, but things look good going into Pep Guardiola’s second season. All the world class players that have carried City in recent years are still there, and Pep identified his biggest weakness and threw as much money as he could at the problem. Kyle Walker, Danilo, and Benjamin Mendy are near guarantees to improve a glaring need for City. I wouldn’t argue with you at all if you said they were the favorites to win the EPL this season. One player who kept catching my eye during the ICC was Phil Foden. I had never heard of the kid but he just kept going out and making big plays. He’s shown a real ability to control the ball, dribble in tight spaces and has a flair you don’t see from many English players. He’s only 17, but there’s a real feeling among those within the club that Foden might not only be a first team option this season, but that the City academy product is a potential superstar in waiting.

Roma Lies In Wait

Hey, Roma was also in the ICC! Sure they may have a noticeably smaller following in America than the other clubs in the competition, but they’re playing in the Champions League this season after finishing four points back of Juventus in Serie A. The goal remains to knock Juve off its perch, and the opportunity is there. The preseason highlighted the club looking to retool their attack after Totti’s retirement and Salah moving to Liverpool. The biggest bright spot was Turkish talent Cengiz Ünder. The forward/winger has fans hoping he contributes sooner rather than later, and he was able to chip in with a goal during the ICC. His improvement over the next season and beyond will be a major factor in whether or not Roma can finish atop Serie A for the first time in years

If nothing else, the International Champions Cup has me really excited for this coming season. There are still big dominoes to fall that could drastically change the landscape of this coming season, but the ICC has helped us make sense of what we’ve seen so far, and given us a lens through which to view whats to come. Get excited! Real Soccer is almost here!

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/preseason-sized-takeaways-from-the-international-champions-cup/feed/0Movie Night With the World’s Best Clubshttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/movie-night-with-the-worlds-best-clubs/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/movie-night-with-the-worlds-best-clubs/#respondMon, 17 Jul 2017 15:06:24 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10093It’s the dog days of summer, and there’s not a lot going on in the soccer world right now. The world’s best clubs are just beginning their preseason work, the transfer window hasn’t created many […]

It’s the dog days of summer, and there’s not a lot going on in the soccer world right now. The world’s best clubs are just beginning their preseason work, the transfer window hasn’t created many compelling story-lines, and CONCACAF has decided this is the Gold Cup they don’t care about. I’d rather just be watching some of the awesome summer movies on the big screen these days, wouldn’t you? This led me to a question – which summer movie represents each of the world’s major clubs? Thankfully for all of us, I have the opportunity to take a deep dive into finding the answers to this question. Its important, grueling work, but someones gotta do it. Get your popcorn ready, it’s Movie Night!

Real Madrid: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Super hero movies are in, and so is Ronaldo! Galacticos wordplay aside, its easy to draw parallels between the current Champion’s League winners and this summer’s latest Marvel hit. You’ve got a group of tremendously talented individuals who come together despite their differences to do awesome work and save the galaxy. Ronaldo is the plucky Star-Lord style leader, who isn’t short on confidence. Modric is small and crafty, much like a highly weaponized Raccoon. This is making me think about how amazing Groot would be as a keeper. Sure, he wouldn’t be able to communicate well, but why does that matter when hes already 10 feet tall with extending arms. This is a rabbit hole I don’t need to go down further, else I may never return. Anyways this comparison is easy and simple.

Barcelona: Spider-man Homecoming

Marvel has been making the most popular superhero films lately, just like Spain has been producing arguably the two best teams in the world recently. Much like Barcelona, we knew Marvel was going to put out a winner with this one. Its hard to imagine any iteration of Barcelona soccer being poor, and for all intents and purposes, Marvel films are always good. Is Messi Spiderman in this scenario? Probably not. While they share a number of physical attributes – they’re both really dang short, and Messi may be able to climb up walls – Spiderman coming of age doesn’t fit with Messi’s mature status in world soccer. No, I like to view him as the villain, Vulture, a character who looks at the superheroes around him – ehem Ronaldo – and says “Why cant I have that?”. Something tells me he’ll be on top again soon.

There’s a formula for success here. It may seem like its the same year after year, but we tune in none the less. You add some other great pieces like Robert Lewandowski, The Rock, James Rodriguez, Jason Statham, and you just keep surrounding your core guys with more greatness. Who cares that it seems like it gets more and more ridiculous! Its a freaking blast to watch! Fast 8 was just as bombastic as its predecessors, even with more and more added parts, it just keeps coming back! Bayern is going to be at the top of the Bundesliga this season. They’re also going to be a huge threat in the Champions League. Its as certain as Dom Toretto drinking Corona and talking about family. I can picture it now, Phillipp Lahm saying: “I live life one 18 yard box at a time… for those 90 minutes… I’m free…”

Manchester United: Wonder Woman

Here we go! Think of a franchise that for decades had built a strong, almost cultist following. Pure excellence, a shining light among its peers! Now imagine that same club made a series of odd decisions that completely failed and alienated huge sections of its fan base. I’m looking at you David Moyes and Batman vs Superman! Has the damage been undone? Well, much like Wonder Woman finally delivered a quality DC film, United hiring Jose Mourinho has potentially staunched the bleeding for the English giants. They’re stealing transfer targets from rivals with Romelu Lukaku, and have worked there way into the backdoor of the Champions League! Things are looking up! Is this a one film/one season aberration or signs of things to come, we’ll find out on both counts this fall, when United aims for a EPL title and The Justice League movie looks to be something other than a stinky pile of garbage.

Manchester City: Dunkirk

I admittedly don’t watch City play often enough, and the film Dunkirk actually hasn’t been released at the time of this writing, but the thread of leadership is very strong here. Manchester City is moving into year two of Pep Guardiola, a manager known for his ability to guide great teams to massive highs, but also has a reputation for being difficult to work with. Dunkirk is directed by Christopher Nolan who has a reputation for making incredible films, that sometimes become way too complex and confusing. Both are leaders who can deliver amazing results taking on massive, intimidating projects, but also have their warts. Dunkirk will probably be an awesome film with a few glaring shortcomings, and City is likely going to challenge for a title in a unique style while stories of Pep feuding with an assortment of team officials start trickling out in mid November.

Juventus: War for the Planet of the Apes

Juventus. The Old Lady. One of the most historic clubs in the world has been competing at the highest level again in recent seasons, competing in 2 of the last 3 Champions League finals. They were incredible in the 70’s and are great again now, just like the Planet of the Apes franchise! With some all-time classic films back in the day, and new saga coming released recently, few franchises have handled the reboot better than Apes. Sure both Juventus and Planet of the Apes had their dark times – the Calciopoli Scandal and the Mark Wahlberg movie were equal levels of deplorable – but they’ve moved past them to be tremendously successful! I don’t recall any scenes in the films having the hyper-intelligent race of Apes playing soccer, but I’ve seen enough to know that if they can take over the planet, they could likely equal Juve’s six straight Serie A Titles.

Tottenham: Baby Driver

This was much harder than I expected because I’m too close to this team to think rationally. I asked the bosses if I could just compare Spurs to Casablanca and they kindly told me to go back to work. I chose Baby Driver for a couple reasons. First off, its got an elite level cast. Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, and John Hamm are the Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, and Toby Alderweireld. Plus you’ve got a relative unknown in Ansel Elgort taking center stage and excelling, like Dele Alli has done since he arrived at Spurs. The biggest comparison for me though is that Baby Driver has come out of nowhere to be a critically acclaimed hit! It was a low budget film, and the little guy has been turning heads everywhere. 96% on Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t lie. Yeah so its not number one… and it wont win any trophies… but it’ll still be really really good! If that doesn’t describe Spurs perfectly, then there’s no film that will.

So there you have it. I hope I satiated your desire for Soccer and Movies!

Oh you’re still sitting there? I mean the credits are rolling… you can get out of here and use the bathroom or whatever… you think there’s something else? Look the lights are coming back on so go ahead and brush that popcorn off your shirt and… Ah I get it now… You think there’s some sort of after credit scene or something. Well I wouldn’t want to disappoint my legions of loyal fans…

Arsenal: The Emoji Movie

Every face that Arsenal fans will make this season; from their smiles over their big summer signings, to the the sadness and anger when they miss the Top 4 again.

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/movie-night-with-the-worlds-best-clubs/feed/0On Spurs, Fandom, and the Sudden Weight of Expectationshttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/on-spurs-fandom-and-the-sudden-weight-of-expectations/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/on-spurs-fandom-and-the-sudden-weight-of-expectations/#respondTue, 27 Jun 2017 15:46:12 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10081Sports allegiance is complicated. To pick a team boils down to familial relationships, geographic proximity, or the institute of higher learning which you attend. When those parameters fail – and when you’re falling in love […]

Sports allegiance is complicated. To pick a team boils down to familial relationships, geographic proximity, or the institute of higher learning which you attend. When those parameters fail – and when you’re falling in love with a sport playing its highest level on another continent – choosing an allegiance is a gray area. Choose a team too successful, and pick up the dreaded bandwagon label. Choose a poor team, and there’s no success to keep you engaged. In 2014, I chose Spurs. I knew their name, I knew they weren’t terrible, and I knew little else.

My three seasons as a fan coincide with the most successful stretch for the club since the creation of the Premier League. With the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, the club has evolved from an also ran to a title contender. They have the most points in the Premier League over the past 2 seasons, they have the Golden Boot Winner from the last 2 seasons, and this year – for the first time since I was in diapers – they finished ahead of arch rival Arsenal in the table. Long time Tottenham fans are ecstatic, and they should be! I could ramble on for hours about how exciting this young team is, how Poch is a genius, and how we’re at a level with the best clubs in England.

So why don’t I feel like this was a successful season?

I mentioned this thought to a close friend, who for as long as I’ve known him has been a Spurs supporter. He responded almost immediately: “You didn’t live through the Sherwood years.” And he’s right. I don’t understand the heartbreak of those lost years, of losing great players like Bale and Modric to bigger clubs, of seeing arch rival Arsenal finish ahead of us year after year. There’s no way for a newer fan to be able to empathize with the trials and tribulations of seasons past. Its just reality. Even though I cant draw upon shared memories of failure – and even though my time time as a fan has coincided with nearly unparalleled club success – this season was still a disappointment for one reason: Trophies. Those adept at mathematics will be able to calculate the number of trophies Tottenham has won in the past 3 seasons to be a grand total of zero.

It really all comes back to trophies. After the 2016 season when Spurs challenged for the title until the final weeks, there was legitimate reason to think they could make another run this year. And they did. They finished second – the best finish they’ve had in the first division since 1961 – and their 86 points was the most the club has ever had. It would’ve been enough to win the EPL in 11 of the seasons since I was born. It still wasn’t enough. The FA Cup yielded the same results. While the Semi-Final against Chelsea was an absolute classic of a match, Spurs fell 4-2. And though an expectation of a Champions League title is a pipe dream, Spurs crashed out in the group stage of European play. For a team aspiring to be one of England’s top clubs, such a result is a failure in every sense of the word.

Expectations play a massive role in measuring the success of a team, not just from a fans standpoint but from the players as well. While I may have been a little premature in my expectations entering last season, this season I wont be alone. Fans have gotten a taste of being right there, and with this core, being right there isn’t going to cut it forever. The players feel the same way. World class talents like Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld, and Hugo Lloris want to win trophies. Talented Right Back Kyle Walker seems to have already tired of being on the cusp, and looks to be leaving the club this summer. Tottenham fans rejoice in the skills of young star Dele Alli – a player whose comparisons have gotten so out of control with hyperbole, some will say he’s the next Ronaldo – but even he will bolt for greener pastures sooner rather than later if potential doesn’t turn into production for this group. If this squad is going to win a major trophy, it may be now or never.

Looking ahead, its tough to see a clear path to a title or trophy in 2018. Improvement isn’t always linear, as much as fans want it to be. Tottenham is stocked with loads of young home grown talent, but you cant count on it to turn into greatness. Nor can you expect stars like Kane, Dele, or even fine squad players like Eric Dier to continue upwards on their development tracks forever. The other teams in England are just going to continue getting better. Tottenham are a distant 6th in terms of financial prowess, and they’ll need to remain smart on the transfer market as they prepare to move into a shiny new expensive stadium. Manchester City will have another year under Pep to adjust and thrive. Chelsea remain the class of England and will spend to stay there. Manchester United is sitting on gobs of money that’s burning a hole in their pocket, and a club that rich simply can’t stay down forever. Arsenal have deep pockets and motivation after their worst season in my memory, and Liverpool has the feel of a club ready to take a big step forward under Jurgen Klopp. All of those factors bode poorly for Spurs, not to mention the massive challenges of moving to a new arena whilst also playing games at Wembley for the time being. Its easy to look at the glass as half empty.

If there’s room for optimism, it comes in both tangible and intangible forms. In the tangible, supporters can take heart in the fact that while moving out of White Heart Lane is going to be tough for the club in the short term, the new stadium should be a boon in the long term. If Spurs are ever going to consistently close the gap with the top clubs in England on the field, they’ll have to do it with their wallets first. A larger, state of the art stadium is a leap forward in that regard, and partnerships with the NFL should allow for sustainable growth in the clubs value. Intangibly, fans can take heart in this: Mauricio Pochettino and this group of players have done nothing but defy the majority of expectations for the past three years. Harry Kane is not a one season wonder. Dele Alli will be barely old enough to drink during the preseason tour of the United States, and irrational comparisons aside, has the potential to be one of the best players in the world. With the penchant this club has for recognizing and cultivating young talent, its not a matter of if, its a matter of when the next young player will burst onto the scene for them. It may defy logic to depend on players we haven’t seen yet, but with Tottenham, its hard to look past their player development as a major factor in future success.

Fans are not expected to stay grounded and realistic. Fan is, after all, short for fanatic. But trying to set even the most realistic of expectations for this season proves difficult for Spurs. It seems realistic to expect a trophy, a top four finish, and a deeper run into the Champions League. At the same time, meeting those goals would likely make his season the best in Spurs history. Failure to measure up to those lofty marks could prove costly, resulting in the disenchantment of players, dissolving one of the most exciting Spurs squads ever. Its an eventuality no Spurs fan wants to face, but is the reality of their current position in English soccer. Tottenham is now faced with the weight of high expectations. I hope to see them ascend to meet the challenge, and I shudder to think what happens if they fail.

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/on-spurs-fandom-and-the-sudden-weight-of-expectations/feed/0EPL Season Reviewhttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/epl-season-review/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/epl-season-review/#respondWed, 14 Jun 2017 20:40:31 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10063The 2016/17 EPL season has come and gone Tears have been shed, lessons have been learned, champions have been made and finally rivalries have gone on a summer break. For the sake of brevity, we […]

The 2016/17 EPL season has come and gone

Tears have been shed, lessons have been learned, champions have been made and finally rivalries have gone on a summer break. For the sake of brevity, we are going to keep the bulk of this review limited to just the sides who qualified for Europe. Seven sides in all with five of them headed to the Champion’s League (*Manchester United got in there by winning the UEFA Cup).
Before we dive into the meat and potatoes of this review, let’s spare a thought for Hull City, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland who were relegated to the Championship. Two of those sides changed managers during the season, that’s almost always a recipe for disaster. There are few managers who can come in and get things jump-started midway through the season but it keeps happening and the high stakes world of the English Premier League keeps chewing managers up and spitting them out.

Also spare another thought for the 2015/16 champs, Leicester City

For a chunk of the season, they looked like they were going to be relegated. The fairy tale story looked to be facing a mad return to reality. The unthinkable happened, the manager who led them to the EPL title was fired. Claudio Ranieri, the Tinkerman, was given the boot. The world of football was shocked. From Turin to the Merseyside, the gasps could be heard and the comments about Leicester’s ownership rang out. Protests, anger, rage, disgust. Craig Shakespeare took the manager role temporarily and he did such a decent job that he was given the job full time. We will not get into the reasons behind their eventual turnaround but they finished in 12th place and escaped the relegation fight by a fine margin. Chelsea FC finished 10th in 2015/16 and won it all this year, maybe Leicester can repeat that feat.

The top 7

The sides who finished in the top 7 (and qualified for Europe) are probably the sides who you’d have expected to do so at the start of the season. Certainly, no one expected Leicester City to fall as far as they did but many fans would not have been surprised to see them not get back into Europe after all that 2015/16 was a once in a lifetime magical season that no one saw coming. In descending order, we will go through England’s European warriors for next season.

Everton – 7th

The Toffees finished 7th in Ronald Koeman’s first year in charge. Considering the size and wealth of the sides who finished ahead of them, they can claim to be the best of the rest in England. Romelu Lukaku was the main man grabbing the headlines but Idrissa Gueye should get more plaudits. He was an absolute unit. Lukaku has been rumored to be leaving for a long time now and this summer could see that finally happen. Koeman is a great, pragmatic manager so Everton will be back in the top ⅞ next season but a European challenge could make life tougher than they’d like.

Manchester United – 6th

The 1st year in the reign of Jose Mourinho was a bit disappointing from a performance perspective. United struggled to find the ruthless streak needed to put away games. They drew when they should have won, and lost when they should have tied. Still, they won the League Cup and the UEFA Cup which got them back in the Champions League and that makes for a successful season! Paul Pogba became the most expensive player in the world when he joined the Red Devils and while you may have read elsewhere about his ‘failure’ to meet the expectations, the fact is he was good and will get better. Their player of the season was Zlatan though, he simply never stopped delivering until injury knocked him out. (*honorable mentions to Eric Bailly and Marcus Rashford). United will be a legit threat next season as they restock a few positions. In his second season, Mourinho’s sides tend to be cold blooded winners so United will be in the running more seriously for all titles.

Arsenal – 5th

For the first time in the reign of Arsene Wenger, the Gunners failed to finish in the top 4. They will miss out on the Champions League. For Gooners everywhere, it was a disappointing season. With transfer coming in and so much optimism among fans, it ended with a shocking understanding that the league now has at least 6 sides who can win every year and London’s red half has to buck up or they’ll keep missing Europe’s finest dance. It was a season filled with underachievement by team and individuals. Alexis Sanchez was the best player and realistically, there could be an argument that even he failed to play at his peak all season long. The talents of Alexis and Ozil have to be better utilized and they owe it to that club to be more consistent. It may have been a rough season but Arsenal did win the FA Cup again with a thorough beatdown of the EPL champs (the 2-1 scoreline is deceiving). The back 3 switch showed enough promise to keep Gooners coming back for more but Arsene Wenger simply has to get his side playing with more consistency and ruthlessness ALL season long. Changes are coming for the team, they simply must or Arsenal will repeat a finish outside the top 4 again next year.

Liverpool – 4th

Jurgen Klopp’s first full season in charge of the Reds saw them return to the Champions League. Liverpool proved to be a difficult side to read last year. They are an entertaining side to watch and deservedly made the top four but they will need more structure and solidity going forward. This season, they fell in games they had no business falling in. They could be unplayable one day and totally shambolic the next. Coutinho was their best and most influential player and they missed him when he was hurt but rumors say he’s on his way to FC Barcelona. If they can keep him and add some consistency to their game, watch out! They’ll beat the tar out of some teams next year but the EPL will be stronger. Their challenge in the UCL and EPL will depend on how well they tackle the transfer market this summer, any half hearted entries will see them pay in 17/18.

Manchester City – 3rd

Pep Guardiola set such high standards at his previous jobs that everyone expected him to come to England and lay waste to all challengers. England is no Germany or Spain, there are not just one or two true challengers. There are at least four usually, and going forward, there’ll likely be at least six or seven. City did not have a stand out player instead De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Aguero, Yaya, David Silva all took turns in fluctuating between disappointing and scorching hot. The team also had too many players who really shouldn’t be playing for a contender. This summer, they will shed some of those chaps and reload. Season 2 of the Pep show should make for better viewing. Pep Guardiola is still an outstanding manager with ideas about the game that are a fresh breath of air but to succeed in England, he’ll need some luck and need his stars to be more consistent.

Tottenham Hotspurs – 2nd

For a second year in a row, Spurs have come up just short of winning the crown. Some would argue that in both years, they were the best team in England. That argument will be no comfort to them though. Last year, they saw Arsenal pip them to 2nd and Leicester walk away with the crown. This year, they cancelled St. Totteringham’s day from their bitter rivals yet the Gunners got silverware and Spurs left empty handed. They had a poor Euro campaign and now there are rumors of key players possibly leaving in the summer, from the fullbacks to Dele Alli. Spurs have shown themselves to be a resilient, and excellent bunch to watch. Mauricio Pellegrino has crafted a side that are reminiscent of those Alex Ferguson United sides (no trophies…..yet) with their pressure, flexibility, and sheer overwhelming array of ways to beat you. Harry Kane was the player of the season for me, he’s a world class striker and he’s only going to get better. The story with Spurs is simple, if they keep their core and add one or two signings, they will trouble Europe and England next year. Any key losses and they’ll struggle to return to the UCL which would be a shame. A bright note for them, two famous ex-Spurs, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric won the UCL, glory by association rules in full play.

Chelsea – 1st – Champions!

Antonio Conte is a master of winning league titles. He did it at Juventus and he’s brought his golden touch to Chelsea. The Blues started the season tentatively and when they were blown away by Arsenal, it looked like they could be in serious trouble. They switched from a back four to a back three (like Arsenal eventually did when the race was over and done with) and that catapulted them to another plane from the rest of the EPL. Eden Hazard was a man reborn, Diego Costa rediscovered his most fiery form, the often loan-out Victor Moses became the king of the flank, and the player of the season, N’golo Kante did what he does best. Chelsea were the best side and deserved winners of the league title. They showed a solidity and desire to win that matched the fire of their manager. They’ll be itching to take on Europe once again but they must strengthen a few areas. Central midfield seemed a bit shaky sometimes. Matic simply was not inspiring attack-wise along Kante, and while Cesc offered that attacking thrust, he offers nothing going the other way which meant that in certain games, Kante was overrun. Next season, good teams will make Chelsea pay in Europe and even in England (see the demolition job Arsenal put on them in the FA Cup final). They must reinforce. Additionally, the Diego Costa rumors have not gone away, it appears like he could be off to China. They’ll need to spend big to replace his ability and even if they replace that, it’s unlikely the replacement will have the menacing presence he had, an aura that struck fear in defenders. Chelsea cannot afford to stand pat, even though they are champs, they need to keep moving forward. A center mid and a striker should join the fray.
The Blues were worthy winners of a very entertaining EPL season, next year promises to be better and England will surely make noise in the Champions League as well. Europe, beware.

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/epl-season-review/feed/0Anything Could Happen When USA Meets Mexicohttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/anything-could-happen-when-usa-meets-mexico/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/anything-could-happen-when-usa-meets-mexico/#respondThu, 08 Jun 2017 14:47:30 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10067Anything could happen, but what is likely? Domestic league play has ended for the season, but that doesn’t mean we’re at a dearth for awesome soccer. This Sunday night we have a doozie. American soccer […]

Anything could happen, but what is likely?

Domestic league play has ended for the season, but that doesn’t mean we’re at a dearth for awesome soccer. This Sunday night we have a doozie. American soccer fans already know where this is going. Its the World Cup Qualifier: USA v. Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Its the biggest rival for American soccer, with the geographic proximity of the two nations sitting front and center at the heart of a fierce rivalry. The USMNT has umm… struggled seems too kind of a word… hmmm.. I got it: languished in an ocean of failure in the Mexican home arena. Yeah, it has been bad. But, they play the games for a reason. There’s a wide range of outcomes for this match; some likely and some, well, less so. Lets take a look at a few of the possible (in my opinion) outcomes that could come from Sunday’s match, and I’ll let you know how likely they really are on a scale from certain (Man U Spending loads of money) to nigh impossible (Tottenham Acquiring Lionel Messi).

Mexico 2 – USA 1

OK, lets go over the facts here. The USMNT is atrocious in Estadio Azteca. Since they first played there in 1972, USA is 1-7-2 and have scored 5 total goals. Mexico leads the all time series as well, holding a 34-18-14 advantage all time. This includes a 43 year unbeaten streak. That’s dominance. Looking at this cycle of World Cup Qualifying, Mexico has opened a hefty lead on the rest of the Hex. They’re 10 points up and will pretty much coast to the World Cup with wins against Honduras and the US. The roster they’ll be trotting out is also loaded with attacking talent. Chicharito (Javier Hernandez) is obviously the biggest name, and he’s coming off a season in which he notched 13 goals for Bayer Leverkusen. He’ll anchor a unit that also features dangerous attackers such as Carlos Vela, Raul Jimenez, Jesus Corona, and the still wily Giovani dos Santos. Plus, the USMNT is still making the transition to manager Bruce Arena. This doesn’t look good! The glass is definitely half empty here. Mexico win and despite only a single goal victory, it’s not that close.

Chances of this result happening: Very Likely

Mexico 0 – USA 1

Please put down you pitchforks America. Save them for someone else. Lets get to the glass half full portion of the program. We know the dangers of going into Mexico City to play, but there’s reason for optimism. Despite the poor performance against Mexico all time, things have actually been better since Bruce Arena’s first stint as manager. We’ve held an advantage since the year 2000 with a record of 13-7-5. And Bruce Arena is back! We know from the past that he’s the type of manager that will prioritize World Cup Qualification over anything else, and that’s exactly what we need after a rough start to the Hex. We’re in fourth, and suffered some rough losses, including a defeat in Columbus to this Mexico squad this past November. We’ll have played two straight games in altitude in order to prepare for the thin air, but more importantly, we have the full first choice group available with players coming back from Europe. That’s key for the USMNT, as players like Fabian Johnson, Bobby Wood, and Timmy Chandler could be crucial to our chances after being unavailable for our spring qualifying matches. Plus, we have Christian Pulisic, the next young man who we will inevitably crush under the weight of an entire nation’s hopes to be good at soccer (Has anyone seen Freddy Adu? Freddy??!!). Pulisic has a chance to really show out after a solid season with Dortmund. Arena has been deploying him the the midfield alongside Micheal Bradley to some success, as his goal against Venezeuela in the recent friendly showed. In this outcome, the US defense would have to stymie a potent attack, Tim Howard will have to summon up his Minister of Defense powers, and Pulisic will need to break through at some point. Hey! It could happen! I may be talking myself into this one.

Chances of this result happening: Somewhat unlikely

Mexico 0 – USA 0

Ah yes, the always anticlimactic draw! After all this build up and excitement, in front of nearly 90,000 screaming fans, nothing would let us down more than a scoreless draw. But there’s definitely a chance for this one. Mexico may look at their lead in the Hex, and the historically great home field advantage they hold, and decide a defensive game plan is the way to go. If they do that, I’m just not quite sure USA has the attacking power to break Mexico down. Save Pulisic, there isn’t a lot of creative attacking talent in this squad. Sure it’d be a let down, but this is American Soccer, so in that case we’d better prepare for it.

Chances of this result happening: Somewhat Likely

Mexico 4 – USA 0

Okay so this is the worst case scenario. If you put away the pitchforks earlier, then you can bring them back out now. We’re all pretty hopeful the Bruce Arena II era offers up more hope than the debacles of the Klinsmann or Bradley eras. However, it might not be what we hope for. The best players of the plucky squads we remember have aged significantly. Dempsey, Bradley, Altidore, Beasley, and even Tim Howard are entering or have already begun the twilight of their careers. Landon Donovan isn’t walking through that door. The next generation may be not quite ready to take over, or they’ve faded into obscurity (Insert Freddy Adu joke here). So yeah, things could go south in a hurry. If they do, it might start Sunday in Mexico City.

Chances of this result happening: Very Unlikely

Mexico 1 – USA 7

The dream. This is it. Bear with me, because we’re about to go off the rails. Christian Pulisic scores a hat trick, Fabian Johnson a brace, Bradley gets one off a free kick and Dempsey from the penalty spot. Fans all around the nation take to the streets, chanting U-S-A, embracing one another as brothers! The team returns heroes, with millions waiting as their plane lands to congratulate them. The USMNT rides the momentum from this match into the World Cup in 2018, where they win the Final on penalties, cementing Christian Pulisic’s legacy as the greatest soccer player in American history. As the confetti falls, a reporter finds Pulisic grasping the trophy and taking it all in. She asks him what he plans to do next, and after a pensive moment he responds:

]]>https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/anything-could-happen-when-usa-meets-mexico/feed/0A Minute-by-Minute Post Mortem On The Champions League Finalhttps://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/a-minute-by-minute-post-mortem-on-the-champions-league-final/
https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/a-minute-by-minute-post-mortem-on-the-champions-league-final/#respondMon, 05 Jun 2017 22:13:52 +0000https://www.soccerpro.com/thecentercircle/?p=10055Campeones! If you read my preview of the Champions League Final (Hi Mom!) then you learned one thing: I am a genius. In all of my immense knowledge, I was able to correctly predict the […]

Real Madrid Lifts the Champions League Trophy, Photo Courtesy of The Telegraph UK

Campeones!

If you read my preview of the Champions League Final (Hi Mom!) then you learned one thing: I am a genius. In all of my immense knowledge, I was able to correctly predict the (favored) Real Madrid squad would beat Juventus in Cardiff Saturday evening. I know, I know, you may bask in my greatness, I’ll allow it.

So how did this happen? In short, Real Madrid proved they are clearly the best team in the world. What started with a competitive first half ended with a fizzle as Real bashed Juve 4-1. Juve’s vaunted defense wilted in the second half, and their attack was unable to mount much outside of a WONDERGOAL from Mario Mandzukic. Ronaldo did Ronaldo things, Sergio Ramos made me mad, and Juan Cuadrado gave us 18 minutes that seemed all too short. Lets look minute by minute at how this match went, as seen through my own eyes. All of these were observations I had during this one, presented as they occurred in match time.

Pregame – I hope I age as well as Gigi Buffon. The man is 39 and and looks great. (Note: The Italian people age well, is it the wine? It must be the wine…)

0′ – We’re off! I’m rooting for Juventus, despite my pick

6′ – Navas tested early. He saved a Pjanic strike and that was the 3rd shot on target for Juventus in the first 6 minutes.

10′ – The crowd is incensed after Ronaldo fell down in the box. Come to think of it, the crowd is incensed pretty much whenever Ronaldo touches the ball and doesn’t immediately score

11′ – Dybala gets a yellow. He’s gonna need to be big if Juve are going to pull this off

15′ – Juve has really been in control for the first 15. Had much better chances, I think 4 or 5. Real has really only just started to even get the ball into the attacking third.

20′ – Goaaaaal! Ronaldo got free on the right side and as soon as I saw it was 1 on 1 with Sandro I knew things were bad. He gave it up to Carvahal who gave it back for the goal.

20′ – Oof, it took a bit of a deflection off Bonucci. That’s bad luck but there was no way Gigi was getting to that one.

27′ – AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! WHAT A GOAL! Mandzukic hit a… I don’t even know how to describe it! Its the best goal I’ve ever seen! (Note: I was alone on my couch for this one and literally leapt up and threw my phone across the room when it happened. 6 touches without the ball hitting the ground, and I’ve never seen someone volley the ball over a keeper like that. Watch it again and he fits the ball into a 10 inch gap between Navas’ hand and the cross bar. Unreal)

31′ – Ramos yellow. Could be big for the captain (Note: Over the course of this game I went from being indifferent towards Sergio Ramos to having a deep disdain for him. Very talented, not likeable)

32′ – Ronaldo had a good look and mishit. Would’ve expected that one to find the back of the net

34′ – Juve Free kick in scoring range…

34′ – HEY! That was an uncalled handball! On Ronaldo! What do these guys think they’re trying to pull!

36′ – Juventus has attacked waaaaaaaaay more than Real so far. Was not expecting that.

38′ – Mandzukic hurt his ankle. First sight of the Mystery Magic Soccer Spray! As someone who didn’t grow up playing competitive soccer, I’ve always been in awe of the spray. How does it work?! Guys have terrible injuries and spray it with…whatever it is…and boom they’re healthy! How has the soccer industry kept this miracle drug under wraps! I’m going to need to talk to the higher ups here to see how I can get some…

41′ – Yellow for Carvahal. That’s half the back line for Real with cards now.

61′ – Goooooooaaal! Casemiro with a long strike! Oof, it took a touch off Khedira. Gigi was inches away. Both goals for Real have come off deflection. Unlucky…

64′ – Ugh, Ronaldo just eases one in. This is suddenly a bloodbath.

66′ – Cuadrado in for Barzagli, and a change of shape likely to come. I like Cuadrado, maybe he can make a difference. (Note: He would not. Seeing a trend here?)

70′ – Shot of Bale on the sidelines. Looks like hes warming up. He just put something in his mouth… wait was that a cigarette??? Is Bale just casually ripping a cig on the sidelines while waiting to come on? Man that’s pretty cool…

77′ – Bale on for Benzema. Lets see if he can make the remainder of this game interesting

82′ – Madrid with 9 Shots in the second half and 1 for Juve… which is… yeah this sucks

83′ – Shot of Higuain. Had literally forgot he was on this team he’s done so little

84′ – Juan Cuadrado with the second yellow… Thanks for stopping by (Note: I thought about using this space to elaborate on my newfound dislike of Sergio Ramos, But Cuadrado was a moron and deserved to get sent off, so I’ll hold it in)

90′ – Ascensio, who I have never heard of, just hammering the nails in the coffin a minute after coming on. Good times Juve.

Post Game – Zidane hugging what look like his assistants… all of whom are as bald as him… Does he demand his assistants shave their heads because he’s bald? If so… major power move there Z.

Post game – Real lifts the trophy, Back to Back, yadda yadda… man its going to look sweet when Spurs win this next year.

And there you have it! Anti climactic in the end, but what a display by Real Madrid, who are clearly in the midst of a dynasty. There’s not much else to say. They’re the best and they proved it. That’s just what they do.